I love summer. Especially when I have no job and the job that I should be getting ready for has me as my own boss. So I do nothing right now. Absolutely nothing. Somedays that is extremely frustrated for me, a project or goal oriented person. But somedays sitting in my underwear watching movies or waiting for the lizard to come out from hiding, or reading is the best possible thing.

This one is us getting ready for the play, me with my quality hair dressing skills. The girls running lines and being wonderful.

I'm going to drive everyone crazy the next little while. Peru occupies the majority of my thoughts. It was a short five weeks that were SO full and two places became comfortable homes. Kristen and I took over seven hundred photos, some good, some mediocre.

This is my tattoo I kept for about four days in Peru. I loved this baby chicken. Kristen had a rooster (or cock some might choose to say.) on her ankle that got stuck for a good week. The girls put them all over their bodies, but all were hideable for school. The girls who brought the tattoos put one on the youngest baby's foot, and one on the toddler (Jenny)'s belly. Jenny walked around and would randomly lift up her shirt and show us her tummy. I miss her.

The other photo is me and the dogs. Five dogs lived at the orphanage. Every day when we arrived they would rush up to greet us and walk us to the door. They aren't particularly good guard dogs, as they are pretty loving. Some days we brought them bread, and tossed it to them. They shared quite well. The girls have a favourite, Mako (sp?). The rest just chill outside, sleep a lot and hope that the next person will bring them bread. One dog always was covered in burrs, and wouldn't let me take them out. I miss them too.

Curtain Call

Curtain Call, originally uploaded by meghandear.

I'm finding it very hard to live right now. My life before I went away for just five weeks was complicated, school problems, health problems, boy problems, outfit selection problems... and now all those things don't matter. It's embarassing having your eyes opened by a three weeks and a bit touristic volunteer experience.

These girls are so strong, and so beautiful and have so much to give to others and to the world. And most of them never, ever will. They have little to no opportunities, the organizations that feed and clothe them are corrupt, and they have experienced serious poverty or hardship. Hardships that I can't imagine.

I miss them like crazy. I feel utterly useless here, even though we have an entirely real population of hardships. I'm about to work for eight weeks with children who are fortunate enough to live in houses and have money to attend an arts program during the summer. And while I love my kids too, I want to be offering what I have to people who need art and creativy and the chance to play in their lives. My kids have that.

If anyone actually reads this, I need money. Kristen and I are going to be doing some fundraising and sending a package of things that are much needed to Huancayo. Help us?

In Canada

Because I thought it would be wise to wear a backless yoga shirt on the day we spent in Maccu Picchu (I can never spell that stupid place name), I now have my first official sunburn. My back is peeling away like a reptile skin. I can't sleep naked like I've been yearning to (what with a roommate every night), otherwise I wake up and my bed is covered in skin. It is disgusting. I'm a monster.

Someone thought I was of Latin background today. That is how tanned I am.

"How come we've never made out?"
"Because you're gay."
"That's discrimination, Meghan."

I'm a very demanding person. And I'm okay with that. Because I am willing to be on both sides of a demanding relationship (you only give what you can take, right?), and how else can you get what you want?

Hanging out at Macchu Piccu

Hanging out at Macchu Piccu, originally uploaded by meghandear.

So I spent five weeks in Peru, that were cheesily life altering. Working at an orphanage where poverty is an actual, tangible, visible issue and where girls who have been through more than I ever will have built a beautiful community.

It was hard to be in, hard to leave, and now is hard to be away from, knowing it.